Whoopi Goldberg is baffled by the debate over diversity on U.S. sketch show Saturday Night Live, insisting nothing has changed in 15 years.

The lack of black actors on the comedy sketch show has been a major talking point during the current season, and actress Kerry Washington even poked fun at it when she hosted the programme earlier this month with a skit in which she played several different black characters.

But Goldberg claims the debate over cast diversity on the show is long overdue and questions why the issue has not been raised before.

The View panellist tells Showbiz411, "These folks are 15 years late on this question. Saturday Night Live has looked like this for 15, 16 years. I don't understand. Why is everyone up in arms? Didn't anybody see it before? Clearly not."

The show currently has two black actors in its cast, Kenan Thompson and Jay Pharoah, who dress in drag. Both actors have expressed concerns about the lack of black actresses on the show.